The National Association of Plan Advisors has named Lisa Drake, a managing director at SageView, as its new president.
ThinkAdvisor was on the ground at last week’s 2025 NAPA conference, where Drake first addressed some 3,000 members as president and shared her vision for NAPA’s future. Drake's stint on the NAPA leadership council started five years ago, she noted, and was supposed to last just three years.
“Well, that term turned out to be inaccurate, and I am standing here today feeling incredibly honored to lead the organization as we face one of the most complex environments for American retirement in more than a generation,” Drake said. “I look forward to working with the organization's leadership team in continuing NAPA's excellence.”
The appointment comes at a moment that experts say holds both great promise and peril for U.S. retirement security. Drake pledged that NAPA, under her leadership, will continue to promote retirement security, pursue policy advocacy and support financial advisors.
One additional “area of opportunity” that Drake sees is cultivating more female leadership in the retirement planning and wealth management industry — especially at the senior level.
“We’ve already highlighted the important role of women in our industry via awards and public recognition, but it’s time to step it up even more,” Drake said. “To that end, we’re standing up a new women’s leadership forum in 2026, called ‘Rise.’”
Drake said the first edition of that event is slated for January in St. Petersburg, Florida.
John Longley, CEO of Sageview, the retirement planning and wealth management firm, said in a statement that Drake is a “passionate advocate for driving positive retirement plan outcomes for plan sponsors and participants.”
“Lisa is the right person to lead this vital organization during this turbulent period for American retirement security,” Longley said. “I'm thrilled to see her in yet another leadership role where she will help enhance the financial stability for many Americans. NAPA is in incredibly good hands.”
Pictured: Lisa Drake
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